[TR] weird distributor "out of phase" problem

[Greg Lemon]

Tim, just to make sure, there are two TDCs on a four stroke motor, one is 
the compression stroke, which is of course the one you want it to fire on, 
and the other is the exhaust, are you sure TDC wasn't set right on the right 
place after all and it is a different problem, don't think it would run at 
all 180 out.  I had a similar problem once and it was a bad condenser, 
although I am not sure what kind of ignition you would have in the 80 spit, 
but anyway, weak spark will exhibit similar characteristics.

Greg Lemon

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From: "Tim Gaines" <mtgaines at presby.edu>
Sent: Sunday, March 15, 2015 5:45 PM
To: <triumphs at autox.team.net>
Subject: [TR] weird distributor "out of phase" problem

> I need help with a weird situation that arose as I tried to bring my 1980 
> Spitfire back to life after 3 years in the garage.  The last time it ran, 
> the engine would cycle between excessive rpms and then a near stall under 
> no load.  Under load, it almost always stalled.  I had a lot going on at 
> the time and devoted whatever free time I had to my TR6 (Herman van den 
> Akker's transmission conversion).  So, this past week I put time in with 
> the Spit.  I took off the Stromberg carb and the manifolds, cleaned 
> everything up, replaced gaskets (including the manifold gasket), checked 
> all the vacuum lines, and even repaired the vacuum retard unit.  I drained 
> out the old oil and replaced it with new and put on a new filter.  I 
> pulled the old spark plugs and squirted some light oil into the cylinders. 
> Over the next few days I was able to rotate the engine by hand a few 
> degrees and then completely with the starter.  I checked compression, and 
> though it wasn't great, it seemed good enough to get i
> t started (120, 105, 110, 110).  The carb is one with the auto choke.  It 
> actually seemed very clean inside, but I did find that the auto choke body 
> was a little loose.  I figured that must be my problem, and I made sure it 
> was tight after replacing the gasket there.  I put everything back on 
> (with some gas in the float chamber), drained the little bit of old gas 
> out of the tank and replaced with new and a new fuel filter, got new spark 
> plugs and checked the ignition for sparks (fine).
>
> On my first attempt at a start, I really thought I had it.  I got a good 
> sputter.  But after that, I never came close.  Today, in total 
> exasperation, I checked the distributor (with cylinder 1 at tdc for sure) 
> and found it to be 180 degrees out of phase.  That surprised me because I 
> don't ever remember taking it out before.  But, my memory isn't what it 
> used to be, and I figured I must have looked at it 3 years ago.  Now, 
> absolutely sure that I was close to getting it started, I tried to put the 
> distributor back in the right way.  After 90 minutes of not being able to 
> seat it, I was near crazy.  At that point I rotated it 180 degrees to the 
> WRONG orientation, and it went right in, no trouble at all!  So, I removed 
> the outer channel that the distributor shaft slides into, and that allowed 
> me to clearly see the slot I was trying to hit.  I could see that the 
> distributor dog was NEVER going to fit the slot the right way; it was 
> nearly 1/8" off.  That means that it NEVER was in the slot
> in that orientation!
>
> So, I've reached two conclusions, one that I'm sure of but very surprised 
> at.  There is only one way to put in my distributor, a Lucas electronic 
> ignition model.  Was it made to go in only one way?!  The other conclusion 
> is that somehow the timing chain must have slipped, maybe on my first 
> attempt to start the engine, to where it ended up just about 180 degrees 
> out of phase.  That would account for my problem, right?
>
> So, am I thinking straight here?  If so, I need to go after the timing 
> chain next.
>
> Thanks for listening,
>
> Tim Gaines
> Clinton, SC
> 1974 TR6
> 1980 Spitfire
>
> ** triumphs at autox.team.net **
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